Ibiza Tapas & Wine Bar Offers Authentic Iberian Fare

SPENCER CALDWELL

The New Haven dining scene was dealt a great blow when Ibiza Restaurant, considered by many Connecticut's finest and the top Spanish restaurant in America, closed downtown in March. In 2003, Ibiza's original chef, Luis Bollo, had been named chef of the year for the entire country by Esquire magazine, and it continued undiminished as talented protégé Manolo Romero emerged from Bollo's shadow.

Fortunately, its casual spinoff, Ibiza Tapas & Wine Bar in Hamden, continues to offer authentic Iberian fare. And here, an objectivity alert is in order: I've been a friend of the restaurant since its inception. Currently at the helm is Cuauhtémoc Castillo, formerly Romero's sous chef at Ibiza.

Located on Dixwell Avenue across from Home Depot, Ibiza Tapas offers nice patio dining for a couple dozen outside, a casual, modern Spanish atmosphere inside, with the red and yellow colors of Spain on its walls, strong primary colors displayed on a geometric room divider, and pretty backlighted color panels underscoring the base of the bar. Whimsical paintings adorning the walls are by Emma Marianetti, who also painted both the original and replacement murals at the downtown Ibiza. The bar seats nine, the remainder of the interior 42. No reservations are taken, but the tapas format usually means short waits.

For those who are unfamiliar, tapas are small plates ($4.75-$9.95) meant for sharing that allow customers to try a wide variety of tastes. Some merely tantalize, while others are quite filling. Larger tapas called raciones ($9.95-$13.75) almost make a meal. Except for dessert, the conventional meal sequence goes out the window. Dishes aren't coursed out but served as they become ready. A few diners find this approach frustrating, but it can be fun.

Of 32 wines, most of which hail from Spain, the vast majority are priced at $30 or under. After we try out mojitos ($8.50), caipirinhas ($8.50), sangrías ($8.75) and even a cocktail made with Pisco brandy ($9.25), Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur, cinnamon syrup and passion fruit juice, we splurge on an enchanting 2006 Grupo Bodegas Olarra, Laztana Reserva, Rioja, Spain ($65).

Usually, I pay a single visit for a casual review, but I stopped in twice because I had never experienced paella Sunday at Ibiza Tapas. Proper paellas take awhile to cook, so it's not a bad idea to warm up with a tapa or two while you wait. We tried three of the five varieties of paella (minimum order two persons) offered, and they were as delicious as they were adorable in their distinctive, traditional, shallow, two-handled metal pans. The paella mixta ($12 per person) showcased saffron-flavored Bomba rice loaded with littleneck clams and mussels in their shells, shrimp, chicken, pork and chorizo (no cheap, flavorless, non-Spanish substitutes here). The fideuà ($13 per person) featured clams and mussels in their shells, shrimp, squid and bay scallops in a bed of crispy Catalan-style noodles laced with saffron and aïoli. But our favorite might have been the paella negra ($13 per person), its Bomba rice bursting with clams and mussels in their shells, shrimp, squid and bay scallops blackened with rich squid ink and streaked with aïoli.

Of course, paellas only scratch the surface of this diverse and wonderful menu. More than a third of Ibiza Tapas' offerings are vegetarian, like its superior tortilla Española ($6.75), an individual round of traditional potato and onion omelet cooked to order, or setas al ajillo ($8.75), shiitake mushrooms cooked in olive oil with garlic, parsley, sherry vinegar and guindilla pepper. The escalivada ($8.75) featured grilled eggplant, zucchini, summer squash and tomato seasoned with olive oil and sea salt and served with a romesco sauce (nut warning needed). I really like the arugula salad ($7.50) with slices of aged Mahón cheese and green apple in a ginger and dried fruit vinaigrette, but those with a sweeter tooth go crazy over the ensalada de caña de cabra ($8.75), mixed greens in a honey vinaigrette with strawberry, walnut and caramelized goat cheese and pear. A number of items are served atop little toast squares, like the aguacate con remolacha ($7.50), a surprisingly harmonious pairing of avocado and roasted beet with EVOO and sea salt, or the extremely popular queso Nevat ($8.25) showcasing Nevat goat cheese with dried fig, walnut and a spot of truffle oil.

There's a heavy emphasis on seafood as well, reflecting Spaniards' reverence for it. Try to find better! Cured seafoods include a frequent ceviche special ($10.75) showcasing shrimp, scallop and squid with tomato, red onion, cilantro, chipotle pepper and citrus juices, as well as the atún marinado ($9.75), diced bluefin tuna with tomato, scallion, black olive, sesame oil, lemon and a crispy potato garnish. Cod, that versatile fish that centuries ago sent Spanish sailors scrambling to the ends of the earth, makes two appearances: in codfish croquettes ($7.75), crunchy outside and creamy inside, served with aïoli, and codfish fritters ($8.75), tempura-battered fish, capped with tomato, scallion and aïoli, that melts in your mouth. Garlic shrimp ($8.75) and squid in its own ink ($8.75) with a mold of garlic rice are oldies but goodies, and salt-baked Mediterranean sea bass ($12.75) with potato, carrot, mushroom, scallion, pine nuts, raisins and smoked paprika oil may make you rethink your fish preferences.

Meat? There's plenty of reverence for that, too. Ibiza Tapas' price points may not permit world-famous, acorn-fed pata negra ham, but you'll be just fine with a plate of sliced Serrano ham ($8). Bollo's duck confit salad ($12.75) with candied kumquat makes frequent appearances as a special. You may never have better sliders than Ibiza Tapas', which top grilled pork belly with tomato marmalade and barbecue aïoli. You should also save room for smoky piquillo peppers ($8.75) stuffed with morcilla sausage and served with a butternut squash sauce. Morcilla reappears in a (Israeli) couscous ($9.75) that also contains chicken, chorizo, saffron and cumin aïoli. Other personal favorites include veal and pork meatballs ($9.25), crispy lamb ravioli ($9.75) served over a sweet potato purée, baby back ribs ($8.75) in a barbecue aïoli, braised beef short ribs ($12.75) and classic marinated and grilled pork loin ($8.75) served on toasts with Tetilla cheese, black olive, scallion, tomato, paprika oil and sea salt.

Dessert? Expect more whimsy. The Ibiza restaurants have long been famous for their chocolate almond croquettes ($7) with citrus gelatin and coconut foam, meant to be swallowed whole so the flavors combine. But great pleasure can also be had from the crema Catalana ($6.50, Spain's creamier improvement on crème brûlée), the bruléed bread pudding ($6.50) with chocolate ice cream and sweet-and-sour-strawberry sauce, and the puff pastry ($6.50) with strawberry ice cream and fresh fruit in a passion fruit soup.

Ibiza Restaurant may rightly be mourned, but Ibiza Tapas is vibrantly alive and hasn't missed a beat.